Faith | TFRC | The Faith Resource Community

9/07/21 Action Reaction

Men, in general, function on an action-reaction basis. If you hit a nail with a hammer - action, the nail will be driven into the wood - reaction. Sometimes it’s hard for us to understand God’s action-reaction principles. Let’s take prayer for instance.

If we take the time to pray - especially about something specific - we wonder why we don’t immediately see the results of our prayers. We forget that the simple act of praying - turning our need over to God instead of just handling it ourselves - glorifies God. That act in itself is the right thing to do, especially when we put aside something we deem important to do it. We honor God by praying and recognizing that He is the source of our answer. (In His great love, He even provides answers throughout our lives for things that aren’t even on our radar screen, just because He chooses to bless us.)

Those seeming delays to our prayer requests accomplish far more than we can imagine. Only God can see the whole picture. While we’re waiting, He’s refining heart motives, orchestrating circumstances, clearing a path, developing patience … and maybe even preparing our hearts to receive the answer to our prayers. This may take some time. In terms of action-reaction time, it could become days, months, even years! As husbands and fathers, we need to put aside the concept of immediate answers and trust in the principles of the kingdom of God.

If you are seeking God for a specific need, don’t give up if He hasn’t chosen to work on your timetable. He started swinging the hammer at the time of your prayer, maybe even before. The nail will be impacted in God’s proper timing.

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

9/06/21 Greatness in Your Future

“Where is your heart? To whom are you listening? What kind of plans are you making and why am I not at the center of them? Be encouraged. I am so pleased at the progress most of you are making toward absolute surrender to My will.

"I know that it seems as if nothing is changing in you, that you are never going to be who I want you to be. I also know and see much more than you can from your limited perspective. I see your surrendering heart. I see your desire to sometimes become all that I want you to be. I also see your frustration when you see how little you seem to have changed when you leave Me out of your plans. What little you see happening in you is not truth as I see it.

"Most of you, who are on the threshold of greatness in My eyes, have never been really, really good at anything. You have walked through your lives with average gifts and talents, excelling in possibly one or two areas. Perfection in anything, however, seems to have eluded you. Again, be encouraged. Even though you can only see your lukewarm heart, your distracted goals, and your self-focus, I see your perfection through the work of the cross. I also see greatness in your future. I have the ability to look past who you are at present, to see who you are becoming, and also see who you will forever be.

"At present, through Jesus, you are perfect to Me. Soon you will function in greatness and excel at loving Me. Then you will become holy. I will have your whole heart. Your thoughts will be My thoughts. I will be the center of your very being.”

Hebrews 10:14 NIV

because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

Hebrews 12:2 NIV

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…

I love the prospect of excelling at loving Him. The thought of never being really, really good at anything has haunted me most of my life. The possibility of being on the threshold of greatness in the eyes of my Lord is beyond my comprehension. The promise of holiness encourages me beyond belief.

Think of it. At present, we are perfect in God’s eyes because of the wonder of the cross and its work. Because we have embraced that sacrifice, we have entered into the covenant promise of being made holy. The process has begun and is being completed this very moment whether we feel it or not. Jesus is completing us. Boy! That takes a ton of weight off my back.

In these days, because of the times and seasons and the awareness of who I am not, I have found myself striving to do what Jesus is already doing in me. Somehow, I have attempted to do what is not my job to do. My job is to simply surrender to the process and have faith that the work is being done in me. I have the freedom to know that in my Father’s eyes, I am perfect right now. I am fully accepted by Him. I can also be confident that He has the ability to make me what He wants me to be. In fact, because He has begun the process, anything that I do to try to stop it will be nullified. He will overcome my stupidity with His love.

Thank You, Jesus,

Jim Corbett

9/06/21 Credentials

The two reasons you or I would never have access to dinner with the Queen of England are: first, we haven’t been invited; and second, we don’t have the credentials. Only those who have fulfilled the requirements it takes to qualify will ever partake of a meal with the Queen.

Our flesh will never be able to gain an audience with God. Flesh simply doesn’t have the credentials to do so. Adam and Eve were removed from His presence as soon as their fleshly nature controlled their decisions. Their reasoning ability separated them from the purpose for human creation - to be in a position where God is our God, and we are His devoted, dependent people.

Men, pride is the most distinguishable cause of why we don’t want to submit to God’s requirements, although ignorance and a myriad of other reasons also stop us from going there. Fact is, we simply want to be in control of our lives and are unwilling to give that up, even if it means that we may never have the answers we need to become the husband and father our Lord intends; or worse yet, will never enjoy the true presence of our Creator God. How foolish!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

9/04/21 Where Are You?

“Are you available to Me? Can I count on you to move when I ask you to move and do what I ask you to do? How rigid is your life? How entrenched are you? So many of My children think that they are available to do what I ask them to do, but they place restrictions on My hand because of their choices and responsibilities. Most are so in debt that they serve all of the other gods that own them. There is no question that I can and will use you where you are, but are you sure that you are where I have asked you to be? I ask you this question. Would you sell everything or give away everything that owns you, if I asked you to do so? Why not?”

Matthew 6:19-21 NIV

19) “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.

20) But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 19:21 NIV

Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

Some time ago, Merry, Jubilee, and I went on what turned out to be a five-year mission trip. We were called to go on faith, having just enough to get where we were called to go. Then we waited on the Lord for His next provision. Many judged us for living that kind of life. I’m convinced we were called to live this way so that we could “own” the messages we’ve been given for today’s church.

During our travels, we met and associated with the full spectrum of God’s people - from those who had the very basics to those who had enough for several lifetimes and craved even more. One major lesson that we learned about today’s church is, that even though most say that they are willing to serve God, they are in bondage to what they own; and it actually owns them. Very, very few would be able to go where the Lord might call them to go because of the entanglements in their lives.

We have discovered that many, in fact, have been called at one time or another by the Lord, and have refused the call for a myriad of reasons - all centered around their inability to let go of what they really serve. I believe that there are going to be a lot of very surprised people on the day they face Jesus.

Loosen my grip, Lord,

Jim Corbett

9/04/21 Water in the Desert

Even after the Israelites saw God part the Red Sea for them, they had little faith that He would provide water for them where there was no visible sign of it. Their faith in Him was under attack.

At times, when I comprehend the awesome responsibility of my offices of husband and father, great fear rises up in me. I can only see how impossible it is to fulfill these offices. My eyes turn toward the power of the world and the war that I’m facing, and how weak I really am to the point that I become immobilized. Sometimes even hopelessness temporarily sets in.

When this lie invades my thinking, it’s time for me to remember Who my God really is and who I am in Him. It’s also time to remember that it’s not my job to overcome my fears. I’m only called to submit them to God and surrender to His faithfulness to allay them and change me.

God did part the Red Sea for His people. He did provide water for them. He did take care of their every need. He is the same God today as He was then. I am His child and He will take care of me and my cares, just like He took care of theirs. As soon as I remember that, I can find a place of rest in Him and wait for His promises to be as real to me now as they were to His children way back then. I have no need to fear!

Let’s talk more!

Jim Corbett

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